Operation Appendix

After our pioneer trek ended, we immediately went to check on Elvis who was sleeping in the Andrus' trailer. We decided that once we got home we needed to take him to the emergency room. He was still throwing up occasionally, and was having significant side pains. Jeff took him to the emergency room around 4pm on Saturday afternoon. As he is 16, he was taken to the pediatric section, where they listened to babies crying and screaming all night. They started by taking his blood, and began him on a morphine drip every 2 hours for the pain.

The on-call surgeons were a little hesitant to diagnose it as appendicitis as they found out he had just been on a trek for 2 days, where he had been a part of pulling and pushing 600 lb handcarts up and down the mountains. They were thinking he had just pulled a stomach muscle and was suffering from dehydration. Finally, he was taken to surgery around 4am to remove his appendix, and was finished around 6.

I brought the kids early in the morning to see Elvis, and to switch places with Jeff so he could go home and get some sleep.

Isabella kept asking why Elvis was wearing a dress :) The kids were fascinated and a little scared seeing all of the IVs. wires, and tubes around him.

Once word got out that Elvis had his appendix removed, and was in the hospital, we were flooded with calls and visits wishing him well. His Priest quorum came to the hospital to visit him.

We were able to go home that evening, and within 10 minutes of being home his Trek family knocked on the door with brownies and ice-cream. The one thing he said he wanted once he got out of the hospital was ice-cream! Soon, another trek family was over to visit, followed by many families bringing dinner to us, cookies, cards, and wishes of a speedy recovery.

Our phone was ringing all night long. I hung up all of his get-well cards on his bedroom wall.

We were all blown away by the love and concern, but it meant the most to Elvis. After everyone had left, we were talking about everyone who had stopped by or called to see how he was doing. Then he said "Wow, I didn't know I was that popular". Thank you to all who were thinking and praying for our family.